Haute 100

Haute Living’s annual listing of Miami’s most important Entrepreneurs, Thinkers, Entertainers, Originators, Philanthropists, Power Couples, and, of course, Billionaires.

LEONARD ABESS JR.
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: City National Bank of Florida
INDUSTRY: Banking

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Last year, Abess, the CEO of City National Bank of Florida, restored hope for the American employee with his unprecedented generous gesture. After selling his majority stake in the bank that his father co-founded, he dispersed $60 million of his $945 million windfall to individual tellers, bookkeepers, clerks, and every other staffer on the payroll, and even some who weren’t anymore. He was rewarded with presidential recognition in 2009.

S. DANIEL ABRAHAM
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Slim-Fast
INDUSTRY: Diet

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This Palm Beach resident saved American waistlines with the founding of Slim-Fast in 1976, which has grown into one of the most successful diet lines available. He uses the windfall from that success to help others. He is very active in a number of causes and advocates for improving health care and nutrition. He also has strong ties to Israel, which led him to found the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation, in 1989, and he still serves as the chairman of the nonprofit. His book, Peace is Possible, offers an unprecedented account of behind-the-scenes discussions with Middle Eastern leaders.

LOUIS AGUIRRE
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: Deco Drive
INDUSTRY: Television

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Thanks to his position as host of Channel 7’s local entertainment show Deco Drive, Miami-native Aguirre is a familiar face at society events across South Florida. With his creative reporting style, he provides those not-in-the-know with a glimpse at the good life of the other Haute 100 members. Thanks to guest appearances on shows like Sex and the City, Burn Notice, and in various commercials, he’s earned himself some national recognition as well, which led People En Español to name him one of the country’s 25 sexiest bachelors a few years back.

EDMUND ANSIN
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Sunbeam Broadcasting
INDUSTRY: Media

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This Miami-based billionaire (who is heir to his family’s shoe-making fortune) joined his father in buying a Miami television station for $3.4 million in 1962. Today, Sunbeam Broadcasting operates WSVN Channel 7 Miami and WHDH Channel 7 Boston, two of the most prominent stations in the country. He is a big supporter of the United Way, so much so that the United Way of Broward County is housed in a building named in memory of his parents, Sophie and Sidney Ansin.

MICKY ARISON
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Carnival Corporation, Miami Heat
INDUSTRY: Cruise

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This Carnival Corporation chairman and CEO saw his stock surge a whopping 59 percent over the past year, adding around $1.5 billion to his personal net worth and bringing the total to around $4.4 billion. Carnival, which operates 11 cruise lines, claims that at any given time, some 225,000 people are sailing on one of its 95 ships around the globe. As if that wouldn’t keep him busy, Arison also took control of the Miami Heat in 1995 as managing general partner and guided the franchise to its first NBA championship in 2006. The Heat has made the playoffs 11 out of the 14 years he has been in control. Most recently, Arison made headlines when he personally donated $5 million to Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

J. RICKY ARRIOLA
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Inktel Direct
INDUSTRY: Direct Marketing

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Not only is he the CEO of Inktel Direct, a company that is consistently voted the best place to work in South Florida, he also is the chairman of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, where he is credited with getting the institution’s financials out of the red and into the black years ahead of schedule, thanks in part to innovative programming decisions. On a national scale, this Aspen Institute fellow was appointed by President Obama to be on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities alongside luminaries like Forest Whitaker, Sarah Jessica Parker, Yo-Yo Ma, and Anna Wintour. He’s also a member of the Democratic National Committee and currently working on three political campaigns, including one for Alex Sink, who is running for governor of Florida.

ADRIENNE ARSHT
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: Adrienne Arsht Center
INDUSTRY: Performing Arts

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: For 10 years, Arsht served as chairman of the board of TotalBank of Miami, which under her leadership, grew to have some $1.4 billion in assets. She sold the bank to Banco Popular Español in 2007, and since that time, she has all but dedicated her life to philanthropy. She divides her time between Miami, New York, and Washington D.C., and she makes headlines in each of her hometowns for her generous gestures. Here in Miami, Arsht became the first woman to join the Million Dollar Roundtable of United Way of Miami-Dade in 2004, and, in 2008, committed more than $6 million to the University of Miami. But nothing tops her pledge of $30 million to Miami’s then-struggling Performing Arts Center, which thereby became known as the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County.

MICHAEL BAY
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: Bay Films
INDUSTRY: Film

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He is one of Hollywood’s most bankable directors, producing action flicks that put him in the limelight and in the black, with global ticket sales surpassing the $3 billion mark. Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor, and Transformers are among his list of credits, and each film is loaded with his special brand of over-the-top effects. The Hollywood power player uses his home on North Bay Road in Miami Beach as a much-needed sanctuary after the draining filming process. The house itself may be familiar, as it was where the Hogan family lived while filming reality show Hogan Knows Best. Bay’s tasteful updates have allowed the estate to exude elegance, as we discovered during a photo shoot with Bay for the cover of Haute Living Los Angeles.

MICHELLE BERNSTEIN
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Michy’s, Sra. Martinez
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: She began her career as a professional ballerina, but after just one class in nutrition, she tossed her slippers and hit the kitchen where she found her true calling. This Miami native is celebrated for her innovative dishes, which are spiced with her unique brand of Latin flair. Her vibrant personality and divine cuisine put her on the national map and earned her the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: South, in 2007, for her work at her signature restaurant Michy’s. She is the author of Cuisine a Latina and has co-hosted The Melting Pot on the Food Network. Last year, she opened a second establishment in Miami, Sra. Martinez, where she puts her signature Latin spin on traditional Spanish tapas. The establishment, located in a former post office in the Design District, was named one of the best new restaurants in 2009 by Esquire. She also operates Michelle Bernstein at the Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach.

HALEY & JASON BINN
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Niche Media
INDUSTRY: Publishing

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Jason got his start in the publishing world as the co-founder of Ocean Drive, along with Jerry Powers, in 1993. That little local magazine grew into a nationwide publishing powerhouse, which led to its purchase by Greenspun Media Group, which now operates numerous regional titles under the Niche Media umbrella. Jason is the founder and CEO of Niche. In 2003, Jason married real estate broker Haley, the daughter of Haute 100 Power Couple Alan and Diane Lieberman, in a lavish ceremony at the Fontainebleau, and the couple now has two daughters.’’

LEA & ROY BLACK
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Black, Srebnick, Kornspan & Stumpf, P.A.
INDUSTRY: Law / Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: He made a name for himself as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the country, representing superstar athletes, political pundits, and Hollywood celebrities, including Haute Living Miami cover subject Helio Castroneves, whom Roy successfully defended during a high-profile tax evasion trial. She is the powerhouse fundraiser for Bay Point Schools, one of Florida’s award-winning boarding schools for at-risk adolescent boys. Together they fight for social justice through their annual charity gala, which has raised more than $10 million for Bay Point Schools and the Consequences Program. The 2010 fête, which took place at the end of February at the Fontainebleau, was the 15th anniversary gala.

NORMAN BRAMAN
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Braman Enterprises
INDUSTRY: Automobile

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Braman Motors is where many of the Haute 100 members turn to for their luxury rides, such as Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and the elusive Bugatti, as well as BMWs, Minis, and Cadillacs. Braman himself, who owns some 16 auto dealerships in Florida and Colorado, is an avid art collector. His portfolio of works by Picasso, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol and others is what put him in the billionaire category in late 2008, and the collection is just appreciating in value at an exponential rate—$100 million in 2009 alone.

NANCY BRINKER
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: Susan G. Komen for the Cure
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: This Palm Beach resident is the founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which Brinker started in memory of her sister. The Race for the Cure is now the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer, and virtually every major advance in breast cancer research has been touched by hundreds of millions of dollars provided by Komen for the Cure funding. Last year, she was honored by President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, and also named Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations’ World Health Organization.

PAULA & BOB BROCKWAY
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Bill Ussery Motors
INDUSTRY: Automobile

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: She is a philanthropist and 2007 “Woman of Spirit” award winner, and he is the chairman of Bill Ussery Motors in Coral Gables, which has been operating for more than 50 years, making it the second-oldest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the nation. This couple is highly dedicated to philanthropic endeavors through support of local institutions like the Red Cross of Miami and the Florida Keys, CHARLEE Homes for Children, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and more.

MICHAEL CAPPONI
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Capponi Group Corporation
INDUSTRY: Real Estate / Nightlife

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: While his nightlife ventures may have put him on the map, it was his other businesses (Capponi Group Luxury Properties, Capponi Building Company and Capponi Casa) that caught the fickle attention of Miami’s luxe-seeking crowd. From revamping Miami Executive Airport to major home renovations—including JR and Loren Ridinger’s Casa de Sueños—Capponi is at the center of the city’s entrepreneurial scene, as well as the philanthropic one. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, he went to the island nation to see what he could do to help and ended up building a proper camp for hundreds of families on a soccer field after collecting donated tents here in the U.S. The whole endeavor took the talented businessman three days and cost less than $5,000. It is a testament to the difference one person can make.’’

CINDY CARR
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: Cindy Davis Carr Fund
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: Before retiring, Carr helped National Distributing Company grow into one of the largest wine and spirits brands in the country. She then established the Cindy Davis Carr Fund as a nonprofit organization to facilitate long-term growth of her many charitable donations including her support for the Jackson Memorial Foundation, the Children’s Home Society, and the Miami Heart Institute.

RAUL CASARES
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: RC Aluminum Industries
INDUSTRY: Construction
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He not only shelters us from the storms by providing hurricane shutters for Florida homes, but his company’s high-end glass products adorn luxury structures like Apogee, Icon South Beach, Acqualina Resort, American Airlines Arena, and Trump Tower. Casares arrived in Miami from Cuba in the 1950s and founded RC Aluminum in the early 1990s. He spent the subsequent two decades building RC Aluminum into a powerhouse with more than $100 million in revenue each year. Casares himself lives in a building outfitted with RC Aluminum products, meaning he puts his own safety during storms in his company’s hands

BRENDA NESTOR & ROBERT CASTELLANO
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Choice Therapeutics & Victor Posner Enterprises
INDUSTRY: Medical & Real Estate

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The Easter Seals Florida Derby Day, Fairchild’s Gala in the Garden, Miami Science Museum’s Building the Future Gala, the American Red Cross Ball—there are few major philanthropic events in South Florida that this Palm Beach couple are not involved in. Brenda is a former model and actress who is now chairman of Victor Posner Enterprises, a Miami-based real estate development firm. Robert’s Choice Therapeutics develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medical devices such as TheraBond, an antimicrobial barrier system that helps prevent infections in hospital settings.

HELIO CASTRONEVES
CATEGORY: Athletes
COMPANY: Penske
INDUSTRY: Formula 1 Racing

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Castroneves’ captivating personality and thousand-watt smile (not to mention his paso doble) won him legions of fans and victory in the 2007 season of ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars. The Coral Gables resident graced the cover of Haute Living Miami in the summer of 2009, just a few months after he was acquitted on tax-evasion charges. Immediately following the trial, Helio boarded the Penske team jet to California, where he finished seventh in the Long Beach Grand Prix after leading the race for several laps. This was an extraordinary feat for a man who had not trained for nearly seven months. But he soon topped that by winning the pole position at Indianapolis and then the 500 itself—the Golden Grail, motor racing’s biggest and most celebrated event. It wasn’t his first time in the winner’s circle; he also roared across the finish line in first place back-to-back in 2001 and 2002.

JOSEPH CAYRE
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Midtown Equities/Core Group Marketing
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Cayre created his real estate empire—which includes Miami’s 55-acre Midtown development, the current home of Haute Living offices—the old fashioned way: from the ground up. He began amassing his fortune by selling videos to discount retailers. He founded the New York-based Midtown Equities in 2002, which has invested in high-profile trophy properties with various partners. Cayre’s portfolio includes the World Trade Center in New York, a few Ritz-Carltons, and landmark buildings in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

ROBERTA & HARVEY CHAPLIN
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Southern Wine & Spirits of America
INDUSTRY: Liquor & Wine Distribution

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Harvey is a self-made millionaire who graced the Forbes billionaire list in the not-too-distant past. He already had started in his current industry by the time he graduated high school, working in the mailroom of spirit marketer and importer Schenley Industries. Today, he is the chairman and CEO of Southern Wine & Spirits, which is the country’s largest distributor of adult beverages. Both he and his wife are extremely active in the local philanthropic scene and are lifetime benefactors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Florida. In 2009, Mount Sinai announced that its new Comprehensive Stroke Center would be named for Harvey R. Chaplin, whose generous support helped purchase the necessary medical equipment.

MYLES CHEFETZ
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Myles Restaurant Group
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Chefetz, a Miami native, can be credited with helping turn South Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood into the luxury enclave it is known as today. His extremely successful restaurants (Prime One Twelve, Prime Italian, Nemo, Shoji Sushi, Big Pink) are all located within a block of each other in this high-end neighborhood, and Miami’s elite crowd descend upon the establishments night after night for a taste of the good life. In 2009, diners didn’t even have to go home after over-indulging, as Chefetz debuted Prime Hotel & Lounge, a new boutique hotel also South of Fifth. The James Beard Foundation recognized his efforts in 2009; Chefetz was a semifinalist for the prestigious Outstanding Restaurateur award.

EVA & MICHAEL CHOW
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Mr Chow
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Known for his Mr Chow empire, Michael Chow has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years. His establishments, which specialize in highly sophisticated Beijing cuisine, have flourished in the world’s hottest cities, including London, Beverly Hills, New York, and Las Vegas. He and his beautiful wife Eva personally design each of the chic locales, which are lauded for their décor and artwork as much as for the cuisine. The power couple descended upon South Florida shores last year to open a restaurant in the W South Beach, and Mr Chow immediately became the place to be seen and to see, as the design is sophisticated and pristine. Many of the paintings, sketches, and portraits adorning the walls come from the Chow’s personal collection.

SARA & UGO COLOMBO
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: CMC Group / NEST
INDUSTRY: Real Estate / Fashion

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Ugo graced the cover of Haute Living Miami in 2006 along with Giuseppe Cipriani, thanks to the duo’s collaboration on the still-forthcoming Cipriani Ocean Resort and Residences. Ugo has created some of Miami’s most recognizable structures as the president of CMC Group and the founder of Glasswall, LLC, which specializes in impact-resistant window systems for high-rise properties. In 2009, Haute Living Miami featured former fashion model Sara in a piece that discussed her new interior lifestyle boutique Nest, on Lincoln Road. The 2,200-square-foot shop, located between Michigan and Lenox Avenues, specializes in high-style products for the home presented with a coveted European flair that is reflective of Sara’s innate sense of style.

SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: Bad Boy Entertainment
INDUSTRY: Entertainment

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: The Grammy award-winning artist, whose impressive estate on Star Island is a must-see stop on all of the celebrity-home boat tours that raid the waters of Biscayne Bay, is almost as well known for his business ventures as for his music. The hip-hop impresario’s Bad Boy Entertainment is an umbrella company that operates Bad Boy Records, Sean Jean clothing line, a movie production company, Ciroc vodka, and two restaurants. He is currently promoting his sixth album Last Train to Paris, even giving an unprecedented performance on American Idol to hype up its June 22 release.

MATT DAMON
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: LivePlanet
INDUSTRY: Film
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: The A-list actor (named “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2007 by People) settled down in Miami Beach with a former bartender from a South Beach hot spot. The couple has two girls, and Damon is also stepfather to another from his wife’s first marriage, meaning he’s the only male in his household. Maybe that accounts for the action-packed, explosion-riddled flicks he stars in, such as the Bourne series and his latest film, The Green Zone. In addition to being a box-office draw, the Harvard-educated Damon is a liberal activist, philanthropist, and Miami triathlon competitor. He co-founded LivePlanet production company with Ben Affleck in 2000 with the mission of creating media that can be enjoyed across a variety of platforms, and while the company has been “resting” for a bit, in February, it was announced that the two Oscar winners are teaming up again to produce films for Warner Bros.

BRETT DAVID
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Prestige Imports
INDUSTRY: Automobile

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: After the unfortunate passing of his father, Irv David, this young man stepped up to run the family business when he was just 19 years old. With a portfolio that includes Lamborghini Miami, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Prestige Audi, and Prestige Imports, he is responsible for one of the most elite collections of luxury car dealers in South Florida. Under his leadership, Prestige has obtained No. 1 rankings in the world for both its Lamborghini Miami and Prestige Audi dealerships, no small feat for this young entrepreneur. In honor of his late father, David teamed with the American Heart Association to develop the Prestigious Heart Fund, a non-profit dedicated to promoting heart health and awareness.

FRED DELUCA
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Subway Sandwiches and Salads
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: As one of the wealthiest Americans and founder of Subway, this Ft. Lauderdale resident led the nation on a craze for $5 footlongs. He opened his first sandwich shop at age 17 with $1,000 that he had to borrow. That initial gamble paid off. In 2009, Subway revenues were close to $14 billion, and an international expansion is underway. Subway plans to open 500 stores in China over the next few years, capitalizing on the booming market.

MICHAEL & GIL DEZER
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Dezer Properties
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: This father-and-son team has used Dezer Properties to form a monopoly over luxury development, hotel, and commercial spaces in New York, Las Vegas, and Miami by managing more than 1,000 oceanfront hotels. They are currently developing the Trump Grande Ocean Resort & Residence in Sunny Isles Beach, and Dezer Properties recently took over Related Group’s ownership stake in that project. The family business owns an additional 45 acres in Sunny Isles Beach, which translates to eight additional oceanfront sites that the company can develop. That’s pretty haute.

DAVID EDELSTEIN
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Tristar Capital
INDUSTRY: Hospitality

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: A former taxi cab driver who made it big in the real estate industry, Edelstein’s golden investment is the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall, while his current portfolio includes two world-class buildings on New York’s Central Park West. This 2009 Haute Living Miami cover subject is the principal of Tristar Capital, which joined with developer Aby Rosen’s RFR to open the new W South Beach, which immediately became an epicenter of high-class action. The W South Beach, which opened in July 2009, is a manifestation of all of the characteristics of the current Miami Beach—it’s chic, sophisticated, buzzing, beachfront, and, perhaps most importantly, culturally relevant.

LEWIS S. MIKE EIDSON
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Colson Hicks Eidson
INDUSTRY: Law

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This national trial lawyer, who goes by “Mike,” recently served as the president of the 60,000-member American Association for Justice, which has a goal of promoting a fair and effective justice system. Following his tenure, the national association was so inspired by his work and drive that they created the Mike Eidson Scholarship in his honor. On a local front, he is the chairman emeritus of the board of Miami City Ballet, where he has held a position since 1999. He has also served as chair-elect for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and is involved with the Kristi House for abused children and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

GLORIA & EMILIO ESTEFAN
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Estefan Enterprises
INDUSTRY: Entertainment

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The Estefans, in addition to being ridiculously talented crossover artists with decades-long careers, are minority owners of the Miami Dolphins, which is the reason Emilio appeared on the cover of our Super Bowl edition along with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. They were asked to be celebrity minority owners because Ross feels the Estefans fully represent the community of South Florida. They took their role seriously, with Emilio organizing a halftime show that Gloria performed in. Beyond that, the Estefans are actively involved in the betterment of our community and that of their home country of Cuba, evidenced by the march for Cuban dissidents Gloria led in late March. As of press time, the power couple was preparing to host President Obama at their home during a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.

GEORGE FELDENKREIS
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Perry Ellis International
INDUSTRY: Fashion

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Feldenkreis left Cuba after Castro came into power and arrived in the U.S. with $700 in his pocket. He found success as an importer, which led to the founding of Supreme International in the late 1960s. The company began by importing guayabera shirts but grew exponentially over the decades and went public in 1993. In the late 90s, the company purchased the rights to Perry Ellis, and today, Supreme International is but one division of the international company which also includes Nike swimwear, Tommy Hilfiger ladies swimwear, and PING collection, amongst other brands. Feldenkreis, who is the CEO of the Miami-based Perry Ellis brand, also founded the Universal National Bank of Miami and is highly involved in many community institutions and programs.

JAMES FERRARO
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: The Ferraro Law Firm
INDUSTRY: Law

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Between his local Miami firm and the Cleveland outpost, Ferraro has more than 40,000 asbestos cases, which is the largest inventory of such cases in the U.S. And with good reason—he was also awarded the largest compensatory amount in Florida history for an asbestos case. He is arguably the biggest advocate for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Florida, often buying dozens of wishes at the annual charity dinners. Ferraro purchased the Arena Football League’s New Jersey franchise in 2000 and relocated the team to Las Vegas in December of 2002. Following the 2007 season, Ferraro, along with new business partner Bernie Kosar, another local legend, relocated the Gladiators to Cleveland. The 2010 season marks Ferraro’s ninth in the Arena Football League.

ELLA FONTANALS-CISNEROS
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation
INDUSTRY: Art

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: The Cuba-born, Argentina-raised grand dame of the Miami art scene began collecting Latin American works in the 1970s but it wasn’t until the late 90s that she picked up speed. CFAF was founded in 2002 with the goal of fostering understanding and appreciation of contemporary artists from Latin America through grants, commissions, exhibitions, and bilingual publications. Then she opened Miami Art Central in 2003, which was fused with Miami Art Museum a few years later. Beyond the arts, she is also a philanthropist, humanitarian, and entrepreneur with a knack for lending her eye for artful elegance to luxury homes by collaborating with architects and designers.

BERNARDO FORT-BRESCIA
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Arquitectonica
INDUSTRY: Architecture

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He put his Ivy League education to good use and founded Arquitectonica in 1977. Within two years, the company was making waves. The Atlantis on Brickell, designed by Fort-Brescia and team, showed up in the opening credits for Miami Vice, and ever since, his unique style (often described as “tropical modernism”) has defined the face of Miami on a global scale. His firm is behind such landmark buildings as the American Airlines Arena, the Miami Children’s Museum, and the new ICON Brickell, amongst others.

PATRICIA & DR. PHILLIP FROST
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: TEVA Pharmaceuticals
INDUSTRY: Pharmaceuticals

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: He is the CEO of IVAX Corporation, which was acquired by TEVA Pharmaceuticals, and she served as chair of the Smithsonian National Board. The couple is a huge supporter of the arts, evidenced by their $33 million donation that led to the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami—the largest gift ever made to a university-based music school in the United States. They didn’t stop there, however. The philanthropic couple’s donation to Florida International University resulted in the school’s art museum being renamed The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum.

RUSSELL GALBUT
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Crescent Heights
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: As vice president of the industrious and fruitful Crescent Heights, Galbut helped revive residential properties in South Beach with one-of-a-kind construction. It’s a fitting endeavor for him, as his family roots are deeply planted in Miami Beach. In 1935, his grandfather opened a drugstore/diner on 5th Street, and, together, his extended family (which today includes Haute 100 member, Keith Menin, Galbut’s nephew) was at one point the largest landowner on the Beach. Today, Crescent Heights is the nation’s largest residential condominium company with properties across Miami, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and many other cities.

MALCOLM GLAZER
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: First Allied Corporation
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: His entrepreneurial roots can be traced to when he was only eight years old and began working in his father’s watch-parts company. He inherited the business when he was 15, but his young age didn’t hinder the company in the slightest, which Glazer even expanded. He later became the president of property firm First Allied Corporation, which owns shopping centers in 15 states, totalling close to 7 million square feet of retail space. He may reside in Palm Beach, but he focuses a lot of his attention on the Florida’s other coast, because he is the proud owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which brought him Super Bowl glory in 2003. (He has hosted the big game twice as the team’s owner.) In 2005, Glazer paid $1.5 billion to add the world’s most popular and valuable sports team, Manchester United, to his roster. The team brought home the Premier League championship in 2009.

THE GOLDMAN FAMILY
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Goldman Properties
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Tony Goldman came to a deteriorated South Beach to meet a friend for dinner one night in the early 1980s, and the rest, as they say, is history. Goldman Properties set up shop and transformed the Art Deco district into the thriving haven it is today. He also can be credited with the reinvention of Soho, the resurgence of Philadelphia’s Center City, and, with his son Joey, the revival of Miami’s Wynwood art district. After five years as the associate fashion director for Saks, Jessica joined the family business in 1997 as a principal and managing partner and COO for the hospitality division, overseeing the company’s South Beach hotels. This year, the Goldman’s South Beach property The Hotel created an oceanfront addition at 800 Ocean Drive, right above the News Cafe, in the heart of the neighborhood that wouldn’t be where it is today without the visionary leadership of the Goldman family.

LETICIA & MIKY GRENDENE
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Casa Tua
INDUSTRY: Hospitality

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The tale of how they met seems as if it was written for a romantic comedy script. (Cruising through South Beach on a Vespa, Italian real estate investor Miky mistook model Leticia for a friend of his and stopped. He quickly realized it wasn’t his friend but was so struck by Leticia’s beauty, he called her modeling agency and set up a fake casting.) Today, the couple serves as commiserate hosts at their boutique hotel and restaurant, Casa Tua. Tucked away on James Avenue, this luxurious Mediterranean-inspired enclave is where other Haute 100 members go to get away from it all.

H. WAYNE HUIZENGA
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Miami Dolphins
INDUSTRY: Sports

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This Ft. Lauderdale resident is constantly lauded for his business acumen and rightfully so. Huizenga is the only person ever to be responsible for six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to build three Fortune 1000 companies, one of which is Blockbuster, which he sold to Viacom in 1994 for $8.5 billion. Beyond that, he is the man responsible for bringing professional baseball to South Florida, when he was awarded the Florida Marlins in 1991. He followed that up by introducing the NHL to South Florida via the Florida Panthers in 1992. For around 15 years, he was also the majority owner of the Miami Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium, making him the only man to have owned all three professional sports teams in a region. He sold all but 5 percent ownership of the Dolphins to Stephen Ross last year.

JOANNA KRUPA & ROMAIN ZAGO
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Mynt
INDUSTRY: Nightlife

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: After acting as the VIP director, Romain took over as owner of Mynt and the club didn’t miss a beat, continuing to be the go-to locale for lovers of luxurious nightlife in a sophisticated setting. Romain’s supermodel fiancé Joanna graces the covers of magazines (and the pages of the 2010 Maxim calendar), appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and is often a guest on late night talk shows, making this couple the reigning king and queen of Miami’s haute crowd. She is also actively involved in PETA and was the face of a traffic-stopping ad campaign for their ingenious “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign.

IRAN ISSA-KHAN
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Iran Issa-Khan Gallery
INDUSTRY: Art

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: She began her career as a high-flying fashion photographer, consorting with the world’s most rich and famous and photographing the “one-name” supermodels for some of the biggest fashion rags. It has been said that the Issa-Khan lens set the visual tone for the 1980s. Today, the Persian photographer’s gallery in the Design District portrays some of her best works, including shots of Nancy Regan at the White House, Paulina Porizkova, Farrah Fawcett, and Paloma Picasso. In the late 90s, she made a transition from photographing the pretty people to shooting nature’s beauty. Today, travelers coming in and out of Miami International Airport are welcomed by an exhibition of 25 of her large-scale photographs in an exhibition titled “Gifts from the Sea,” displayed in the Skywalk between Terminals E and F.

JAY I. KISLAK
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: The Kislak Organization
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: His real estate company has a portfolio of properties that span the country, but what’s really haute is the Kislak Foundation, the non-profit he established in 1984. It is dedicated to the collection, conservation, research, and interpretation of rare books, manuscripts, maps, and indigenous art and cultural artifacts from the U.S. and around the globe. This collection was born out of this New Jersey native’s desire to learn more about local culture and history when he first moved to Miami a few decades ago. And he shares the love; more than 3,000 works from the collection were gifted to the nation as The Cultures & History of the Americas: The Jay I. Kislak Collection at the Library of Congress. In 2003, Kislak was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the chairman of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee, an expert panel that advises the U.S. Department of State regarding the importation of cultural artifacts. Kislak also serves as a trustee of the Eisenhower Fellowships.

JOHN KLUGE
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Metromedia
INDUSTRY: Media

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This 95-year-old Palm Beach resident was ranked as richest man in America in 1989 but lost that title to Bill Gates three years later. His vast fortune comes from Metromedia, Inc., which proved during the 1960s and 1970s that independent television stations could compete against network giants. That caught the attention of Rupert Murdoch, who purchased Metromedia’s stations in the mid-1980s for around $2 billion. Under the same Metromedia name, Kluge went on to invest in restaurants, technology, and telecommunication ventures, which amassed him quite the impressive fortune. He believes in paying it forward and donated $400 million to Columbia University in 2007, which is the fourth-largest gift of all time to an educational institution.

ALAN KLUGER
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, P.L.
INDUSTRY: Law

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: As a name partner at Miami-based Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, P.L., Alan Kluger has defined his career as a powerhouse litigator representing high-profile individuals, celebrities, and athletes. Most notably, his client list included baseball legend Alex Rodriguez, whom Kluger represented during the athlete’s high-profile divorce, which ended in an amicable settlement. Kluger and his wife Amy Dean have developed a passion for the arts, which grew out of a traditional Jewish charity collection box (a tzedakah box) that Amy gave him for his 30th birthday. This served as the centerpiece of a collection of boxes that grew into the largest of its kind in the country. The couple sold the collection and set up the Dean-Kluger Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the arts, education, and medical research. They turned their attention to collecting Latin American art, amassing a portfolio of works by masters like Wifredo Lam and Roberto Matta.

THOMAS KRAMER
CATEGORY: Originators
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Before Thomas Kramer, South Beach was a very different place. His developments (Portofino, Yacht Club, Continuum, Murano, Murano Grande, Icon, Apogee) transformed the once-blighted community into a sophisticated, world-class destination. Kramer was recently deemed an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability” by the United States government, due to his achievements as an entrepreneur and real estate investor. He is also an active philanthropist, and his Thomas Kramer Foundation has benefited many local and national charities. He often lends out his Star Island estate (rumored to be the island’s largest) for worthy causes, including the annual kick-off event for Art Basel, which has been sponsored by Haute Living for the past two years.

LENNOX LEWIS
CATEGORY: Athletes
INDUSTRY: Boxing

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: This Heavyweight Champion not only defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999, but he also KO’d Mike Tyson just three years later to solidify his undisputed reign in the boxing ring. He is also a member of the 100 Black Men of London, which is a non-profit organization created to give back to the community. Last year, the Miami Beach resident was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

DIANE & ALAN LIEBERMAN
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: South Beach Investment Realty, South Beach Group
INDUSTRY: Real Estate, Hospitality

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Together, Diane and Alan form a real estate powerhouse. Diane’s SBI Realty is the group behind the sales of some of the biggest profile listings in the region. Alan runs the show at South Beach Group, an Art Deco-style hotel brand that operates 10 properties, including the Catalina, SBG’s flagship property on Collins Avenue, and the new Riviera, which is home to one-bedroom apartment-like accommodations. The Liebermans’ hotels have been fixtures on South Beach for the past 10 years thanks to a business model that is based on innovation, outstanding marketing tactics, and an innate understanding of what attracts the customer, from constant parties and open bars to partnerships with the theater and art institutions. Chic designs don’t hurt either, and The South Beach Group’s portfolio is full of them, all courtesy of Alan himself who renovates his properties every three to five years. The couple is a staple at philanthropic and cultural events throughout Miami.

GEORGE LINDEMANN
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Southern Union Company
INDUSTRY: Natural Gas

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He joined his father’s cosmetic and hair care company in the 1950s, which eventually diversified into pharmaceutical products. It was in this realm that Lindemann oversaw the development of the world’s first permanent-wearing soft contact lens, Permalens. He sold that company for $60 million and went on to become the president of cable television pioneer Vision Cable Communications. Lindemann is also chairman and CEO of Activated Communications, Inc., a diversified communications firm headquartered in New York City. In 1983, he founded Metro Mobile, which grew into the country’s second-largest cellular company. In 1992, it merged with Bell Atlantic, netting Lindemann a cool $2.6 billion. In 1990, the diversified entrepreneur began his current role as the chairman of the board and CEO of Southern Union Company, which is one of the country’s largest natural gas-line companies.

HOWARD LORBER
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Prudential Douglas Elliman
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: In addition to being the chairman and a principal owner of New York real estate powerhouse Prudential Douglas Elliman, he is the chairman and CEO of Nathan’s Famous, the fast-food company that started on Coney Island in 1916 and expanded around the world. As if that wasn’t enough to keep his schedule packed, he is also the director of United Capital Corp., a real estate investment and management company with a portfolio of 150 properties throughout the U.S. (The company also does its fair share of dabbling in engineering.) On a local front, Lorber is president and CEO of the Miami-based Vector Group Ltd., a publicly held company  listed on the New York Stock Exchange that makes and markets high-quality tobacco products.

THE LOWENSTEIN FAMILY
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Lionstone Development
INDUSTRY: Hospitality

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The Lowenstein family of successful entrepreneurs—father Alfredo, mother Diana, and children Diego, Paula, Flavia, and Carla—founded Lionstone Development, which began acquiring an impressive portfolio of properties on Miami Beach five decades ago. The hospitality division is behind the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and a slew of international properties, while the development arm is responsible for the new EPIC Hotel and Residences in Brickell. The family’s matriarch Diana also operates Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts Gallery in Wynwood, which represents contemporary artists from around the world, with a focus on Latin America. She curates the $2 million art collection on display at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, and the family’s artwork is also on display at EPIC.

AL & SHAREEF MALNIK
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: The Forge
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Where would Miami Beach be without the Malniks? Al is the visionary entrepreneur-turned-lawyer-turned-restaurateur who opened The Forge in the 1960s, and the Beach has never been the same. The restaurant has served as the stomping ground for every A-list group that came through the town. The Forge is more than a restaurant; it’s a landmark that played a significant role in the revival of Miami Beach. Shareef, who grew up in the restaurant’s kitchen, took over the operations in the 1990s after he returned to his hometown from extensive world travels (during which time he married a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family). Shareef closed the restaurant last year for extensive renovations, finally reopening its doors in late March under the updated moniker The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik. Whatever it’s called, it is still where you will find us on Wednesdays.

MARTIN Z. MARGULIES
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Margulies Collection at the Warehouse
INDUSTRY: Art

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: After amassing one of the most impressive collections of contemporary art in the world, Margulies began showcasing his pieces, which run the gamut from contemporary art and vintage photography, to video, sculpture, and installations, to the public in 1999. The collection continued to expand over the last decade-plus, leading to the need for a larger home. The Margulies Collection is now housed in a 45,000-square-foot newly renovated warehouse in the heart of Wynwood. The Martin Z. Margulies Foundation is a non-profit that is focused on presenting exhibitions and educational programs.

CLAIRE & DAN MARINO
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Dan Marino Foundation
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Dan is the most famous Miami Dolphin in history, and his NFL career passing totals of 61,361 yards, 8,358 attempts, 4,967 completions, and 420 touchdowns held the record for a solid decade. The road leading into the recently renamed Sun Life Stadium still bears his name, but he is more than just a local sports hero. Dan and his wife Claire established the Dan Marino Foundation in 1992 to support youngsters with developmental disabilities through research, outreach programs, and medical treatment. The foundation has raised more than $22 million to provide programs and services that have benefited hundreds of thousands of children and their families through institutions like the Marino Autism Research Institute, which works with four universities, including Nova Southeastern in Davie and the University of Miami.

PEDRO & DAVID MARTIN
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Terra Group
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: This father-and-son team is the brains behind Terra Group, which specializes in downtown Miami development projects such as 900 Biscayne Bay and Quantum on the Bay. These new locales started a trend, and other condo buildings began popping up just north of The Grand. The Martins led Terra Group in getting the most bang for its buck with low acquisition prices on the Miami properties. Pedro is also on the board of directors for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and Terra Group’s developments are serving their parts in the revival of the area surrounding the center.

KEITH MENIN
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Sanctuary South Beach
INDUSTRY: Hospitality / Development

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He is entrenched in the Miami scene and has been since birth. He’s a member of the Galbut family, which provided him with both the means and the know-how to open his first hotel when he was just 24. But his heritage didn’t guarantee success; that was Menin’s doing. He parlayed that venture into additional hotel projects, including the Raffaello Hotel in Chicago and the Mondrian South Beach, where he partnered with the established Morgans Hotel Group (the brand behind the Delano and Shore Club) for the company’s first residential project. Menin’s next move will be unveiling La Esquina at the Shelborne this coming December.

STUART MILLER
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Lennar
INDUSTRY: Construction

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Lennar, which was founded in 1954 by Stuart’s father, is a building COMPANY: that does more than just construct homes; it creates communities. Miller, who serves as president and CEO of Lennar Corporation, learned the family business from his father, the company’s founder. Miller joined the ranks after he returned from Harvard and began helping to propel Lennar into one of the largest home construction companies in the country.

STACY & ERIC MILON
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Opium Group
INDUSTRY: Nightlife

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: First of all, they are both hot. Eric is a former fashion model who walked the runway for Giorgio Armani and appeared on the cover of GQ. His eye for style and beauty led to the opening of Miami Beach nightclub The Strand in 1991, followed by The Living Room, which led to the founding of The Opium Group, which operates Miami’s hautest venues. In 2008, he founded the Milon Group with hotelier Justin Callen, which will open its first boutique hotel, Milon Reserve, in Panama this year. He also has ambitious plans to launch a line of eponymous luxury goods. His wife Stacy is a staple on Miami’s social scene, and she uses those connections in her role as a realtor associate with Prudential Douglas Elliman Florida.

TRACY & ALONZO MOURNING
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Alonzo Mourning Charities
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: He announced his retirement from the NBA in 2009, and it was shortly thereafter that the Miami Heat, where he played the majority of his all-star career, proclaimed that No. 33 would be the first number retired at the American Airlines Arena. While no longer making moves on the court, he and his wife are still making a solid impact on Miami. He founded Alonzo Mourning Charities in 1997, which has since raised more than $7 million to benefit children and families, with a focus on youth enrichment centers, including the Overtown Youth Center. His wife Tracy is a mentor, designer, broadcast journalist, and motivational speaker. For the charity, she focuses on the Honey Shine Mentoring program for at-risk girls. The couple also operates Zo’s Fund for Life, which was born after Alonzo was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease during a routine pre-season physical.

TOM MURPHY JR.
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Coastal Construction Group
INDUSTRY: Construction

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: At age 19, Murphy became Florida’s youngest-ever licensed general contractor. When he was 21, he co-founded Seaboard Construction, Inc. After buying out his partners, Murphy sold Seaboard in 1989 to one of the largest builders in the world. Along with his brother, Murphy founded the Coastal family of companies, which includes Coastal Construction, Coastal Condominiums, Coastal Interiors, and Coastal Homes. In total, the company has more than $1 billion in projects in the works, and Murphy oversees it all as chairman and CEO.

GARY NADER
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Gary Nader Fine Art
INDUSTRY: Art

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: We called Nader “Miami’s Master” in our 2009 Art Basel edition for a reason. Gary Nader Fine Art is the largest and most important fine art gallery in South Florida, with a 55,000-square-foot space in the heart of Wynwood. This impressive stature also makes it the largest private gallery in the world. Put it in perspective: this is the same square footage as the White House. So filling the many walls with fine works would seem like a nearly impossible undertaking, yet the gallery is overflowing with the most important Modern, Contemporary and Latin American artists; works by Lam, Kahlo, Rivera, Picasso, Matisse, and Chagall are joined by the world’s largest collection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures by the most celebrated living Latin American artist—Fernando Botero.

CHAD OPPENHEIM
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Oppenheim Architecture + Design
INDUSTRY: Architecture

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: In the eight years since its inception, Oppenheim’s firm has accumulated more than $6 billion in project work and has won more than 14 American Institute of Architects awards. That’s because the firm doesn’t focus on just the exterior but rather works to create dramatic interior spaces that evoke the senses. Thanks to this approach, OAD has partnered with some of the most important hospitality companies around the world on various projects, including the new Dellis Cay, where the world’s biggest “starchitects”—including Oppenheim—were tapped to create luxury hotels and residences on an island in the Turks & Caicos. On a local front, Oppenheim is a board member at the Wolfsonian-FIU and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

R. DONAHUE PEEBLES
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: The Peebles Corporation
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: As the CEO and chairman of the Coral Gables-based Peebles Corporation, R. Donahue “Don” Peebles is the owner of the largest African-American real estate development firm in the country. The Peebles Corporation has a $4 billion portfolio of luxury hotels, condos, high-rises, and commercial properties in Washington D.C., Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Miami Beach. He is also a noted author and motivational speaker, which could stem from the time he spent in high school as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives. It resulted in a life-long love of politics, and there was talk this year he would run for mayor of D.C., but it didn’t come to fruition. In the meantime, he does serve on President Obama’s National Finance Committee.

JORGE PÉREZ
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Related Group
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Pérez’s company has a tagline of “redefining cities and skylines,” and it lives up to that reputation. Since its inception, Related Group has built more than 55,000 apartments and condos, and currently leads South Florida as the top multi-family developer. Related Group reigns as the U.S.’s largest Hispanic-owned business, a fact that landed Pérez on Time’s list of the top 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States. He may have made a name for himself with the development of properties like the new ICON Brickell, but he got his start in the affordable housing market, selling properties in Little Havana and Homestead. He is also a noted art collector and a big proponent of art in public places, which is evident at his many Miami properties. He’s on the board for the National Endowment for the Arts and is very active with many local arts organizations as well.

ALICIA & MIKE PIAZZA
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Retired from the New York Mets
INDUSTRY: Baseball

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Former Mets star and the best-hitting catcher of all time Mike Piazza and his wife Alicia are staples on Miami’s scene and are actively involved in the betterment of their South of Fifth community. Mike attended the University of Miami on a full scholarship for baseball, but after one year decided college ball was not for him. Piazza transferred to Miami-Dade North, and lived around 125th Street near Bal Harbour where he spent a lot of time wandering around looking at the things he couldn’t afford. Now, years later, he is back in Miami, and the progression of his success has led him to heights he never dreamed possible.

LARSA & SCOTTIE PIPPEN
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Chicago Bulls & Bravo
INDUSTRY: NBA & Reality Television

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Scottie was Michael Jordan’s right-hand man on the Chicago Bulls, which won an outstanding six championships thanks to the unstoppable duo. His wife, Larsa, is a former model who married the basketball great in 1997. Not familiar with her? You will be shortly, as she is one of the cast members of Bravo’s forthcoming television show with a working title of Miami Social Club. Expect it to be like the Real Housewives but with a Miami flair.

AARON PODHURST
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Podhurst Orseck, PA
INDUSTRY: Law

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Today, Miami stands as the only major city in America without a major art museum. But that’s about to change, thanks in large part to the work of Miami Art Museum Chairman Aaron Podhurst. Podhurst has been an instrumental force in the continued development of the museum’s new home, scheduled to open its doors in 2013. Once completed, MAM’s state-of-the-art building in Miami’s waterfront Museum Park will be one of the United State’s most important artistic links to Latin America—a cultural port that imports and exports the visual arts. When he’s not rallying public, private, and political support for MAM, Aaron is tending to his legal practice at Miami law firm Podhurst Orseck, PA. As the firm’s founding partner, Aaron has landed some of the most significant legal verdicts and settlements in aviation law history.

THE POWERS FAMILY
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Power Play
INDUSTRY: Media

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Jerry Powers founded Ocean Drive magazine in 1991 and turned it into one of the most successful regional publications in the country. He sold the publication to Greenspun Media Group in 2007 for $30 million and stayed on as publisher. Last year, he resigned from the magazine, as did his wife Sandi, who operated as the fashion director, and daughter Jacquelynn, who was an editor (and has since written for Haute Living). After retiring from Ocean Drive, Jerry tried his hand at a photography studio with the killer name “Power Play,” but pulled the plug after realizing the economy wasn’t what it used to be. Jerry kept himself busy volunteering with Alonzo Mourning’s Overtown Youth Center, working with the kids to put together a not-for-profit magazine over last summer. His philanthropic endeavors carried over into the New Year, when he again partnered with Mourning to host a Haiti benefit during Super Bowl week.

BRETT RATNER
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: HSI Productions
INDUSTRY: Film

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Ratner’s is the ultimate story of local boy gone big-time. As a blockbusting director (and former Haute Living cover subject and also cover photographer), Ratner has racked up a list of films that have grossed more than a billion dollars worldwide, but he never forgets his Miami Beach roots. He made his first entrée into the world of film at age 13 by stalking around the set of Scarface, scoring a cameo as a background extra in the 1983 Brian De Palma film. He has referred to himself as the “Ferris Bueller of Miami Beach,” and his connections led him to be accepted into NYU’s prestigious film school when he was only 16. His paternal grandfather, Lee Ratner, a mega-developer responsible for the naming of Lee County in Southwest Florida, was a close friend of Haute 100 member Al Malnik, who became like a father to Brett. Because of this relationship, Brett can claim some responsibility in the transformation of Miami Beach from a geriatric haven into an international haute spot. When photographer Bruce Weber came to town in 1985 to shoot a Calvin Klein campaign, the Beach was suddenly crawling with models with nothing to do. It was Ratner and Al Malnik’s son Shareef to the rescue, and Malnik’s restaurant The Forge became the go-to haute spot. Brett got on the payroll, earning $500 per week for his efforts turning the restaurant into a must-see on Miami Beach. Today, the Hollywood great continues to turn out blockbusters while also operating Rat Press, a publishing company that is described as “everything that film is not.”

MAYOR TOMAS P. REGALADO
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: City of Miami
INDUSTRY: Politics

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Mayor Regalado’s father was a political prisoner in Cuba for 22 years due to his role as president of Cuban Association of Journalists and Reporters, so our current mayor grew up with an eye on politics and a passion for the protection of personal freedom. After he arrived in Miami in his early teens as part of the Peter Pan Project, he followed his father’s footsteps and became a journalist. When his father was freed from Cuban prison, he worked alongside the young Regalado as a producer and news editor at WRHC, the Cadena Azul. Mayor Regalado was the first Cuban American member of the White House Press Corps, and has interviewed Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton. By traveling the globe covering politics, he became interested in the field and was elected Miami City Commissioner in 1996. On November 3, 2009, he was elected Miami’s 33rd mayor with a 72 percent margin.

M. JOHN RICHARD
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
INDUSTRY: Arts

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: The Adrienne Arsht Center’s first year and a half out of the gate were marred by budget shortfalls, empty seats, and negative public perception. Now, only two years later, the Center’s early stumbles seem like a distant memory as patrons pack the seats in record numbers, budget deficits become surpluses, and its programs earn critical acclaim week after week. By all accounts, the Adrienne Arsht Center has completed a 180-degree turnaround. Perhaps more so than any other factor, the Arsht Center’s success has been a product of its leadership. When Richard became CEO in October 2008, he immediately set a tone that the nonprofit organization would be run like a first-rate business, beginning with its management team. A series of bold moves, including the decision to pay off the Center’s remaining bank debt seven years early and a ramped-up commitment to hosting community and educational programs for children and families (despite a poor economy) have all been driven by Richard.

LOREN & JR RIDINGER
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Market America
INDUSTRY: Internet Shopping

What Makes Them Haute: JR and Loren founded Market America in a 1,200-square-foot house in North Carolina some 18 years ago. Today, the Ridinger’s Casa de Sueños estate on Miami Beach is one of the city’s most enviable. Their story is the American Dream realized. JR and Loren serve as CEO and senior vice president, respectively, of the brokerage and Internet marketing company that specializes in one-to-one-marketing and is ranked among the top 70 e-retailers by Internet Retailer magazine. With more than six million customers and 180,000 Customer Managers worldwide, the company has generated more than $3.4 billion in accumulated retail sales. Since the company’s inception, individuals have earned more than $2 billion in commissions and retail profits. Market America is helping aspiring (and established) entrepreneurs all over the world harness the power of the Internet to create their own versions of paradise. It was with this idea in mind that Alejandro Sanz and Alicia Keys met one night on board the Ridinger’s megayacht Utopia 3 and ended up writing their hit song “Looking for Paradise.” This in turn was the theme of the 2010 Market America World Conference that sold out American Airlines Arena for three days straight in late January.

PAT RILEY
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Miami Heat
INDUSTRY: Basketball

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Now in his 15th year with the Miami Heat, Riley led the team to its first NBA championship in 2006 as the team’s head coach. As its president, he was the force responsible for bringing some of the biggest names in the NBA to Miami, including Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Antoine Walker, as well as other all-stars. Riley’s NBA career spans 38 years as a player, assistant coach, head coach, administrator, and broadcaster, and he has produced seven NBA championships. He has more wins than all but two other individuals under his belt. This impressive list of accomplishments earned him a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is the NBA’s biggest honor.

CRAIG ROBINS
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Dacra Development
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: South Beach, Lincoln Road, Española Way, and, most importantly, the Design District can all credit this innovate visionary for their transformative rebirth. His Dacra Development Group combines art and architecture to create extremely avant-garde projects, revitalizing neighborhoods as it goes. In the Design District, Dacra is in the midst of a $250 million expansion that will bring a boutique hotel to a neighborhood that was all but forgotten before Robins came across the causeway after breathing life back into Lincoln Road and South Beach’s dilapidated Art Deco hotels. For the ambitious AQUA project, Dacra partnered with urban planners to create a whole luxury community on 8.5 acres in Miami Beach, and through Dacra Global, Robins hopes to bring his unique eye for urban revitalization to communities around the world.

MARC ROBERTS
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Marc Roberts Companies
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Roberts’ sports management company. Worldwide Entertainment and Sports, was the first of its kind to go public through an IPO, which afforded him the means to become a real estate magnate. Today, he is working on the 30-acre Miami Worldcenter project, which aims to transform a blighted area downtown into a live-work-play environment with retail, restaurant, entertainment, hotel, residential, and commercial components. It’s an ambitious project (to say the least) that entails creating 12 million square feet over the next 20 years. Roberts ran into roadblocks as the bottom fell out of the real estate market, but he is nothing if not tenacious, so we don’t expect this project to go by the wayside like so many others that never left the drawing board.

STEPHEN ROSS
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Related, Miami Dolphins
INDUSTRY: Real Estate, Football

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Ross’ Related Companies has been a force in the industry since its inception, with trophy developments like West Palm’s CityPlace, New York’s Time Warner Center, and Los Angeles’ The Century developments under its belt, and major projects like the huge renovation of Penn Station and Aspen Snowmass base village under works. In 2008, he purchased 50 percent ownership of the Miami Dolphins and the stadium for $550 million, and followed that up in 2009 by becoming 95 percent owner. He immediately made waves that turned the then-named Land Shark Stadium into the host destination for “the best party in South Florida on Sundays,” as he said during an interview for a cover feature in Haute Living. He felt that the ownership base should reflect “the face of South Florida,” so he brought on celebrity minority owners, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony, Venus and Serena Williams, Fergie, and others. He partnered with Jimmy Buffett to create the ultimate “Dol-Phan” experience, which resulted in national media attention that caught attention of a new sponsor for the now-named Sun Life Stadium, despite the state of the economy. He then hosted the 2010 Super Bowl during his first season as owner.

THE RUBELL FAMILY
CATEGORY: Thinkers
COMPANY: Rubell Family Collection
INDUSTRY: Art

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: They were the pioneers of what has since been referred to as the “Miami Model” of art collecting; Don Rubell and his wife Mera began amassing an expansive personal collection of contemporary art in 1964 in New York. In the early 90s, they decided to share it with the world, and opened the Rubell Family Collection in its current 45,000-square-foot warehouse in Wynwood. The family, made up of Don, Mera, their children Jennifer and Jason, and Jason’s wife Michelle, also operate the non-profit Contemporary Arts Foundation, which presents thematic presentations annually that often travel to other prestigious art institutions across the country. The Rubell Family Collection features 27 galleries, a research library with more than 30,000 volumes, a film and lecture theater, a new media room, a bookstore, a gift shop, and a sculpture garden. Each of the exhibitions shown at the gallery are owned by the Rubells, and it is often new acquisitions that provide the inspiration for new exhibits, such as the current “Beg Borrow and Steal,” which is rooted in Picasso’s quote, “Good artists borrow, great artists steal.”

ROMAN JONES & MITCHELL RUBINSON
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Opium Group
INDUSTRY: Investment

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The British-born Jones helped put South Beach on the nightlife map when he partnered with Eric Milon to open The Living Room on Washington Avenue, and thus South Beach’s reputation for extremely exclusive nightlife was born. Today, Opium Group, a joint venture between Jones, Eric and Eric’s brother Francis, sets the standard when it comes to nightlife. Rubinson’s résumé is as impressive as it is diverse. His list of ventures runs the gamut from being a principal and adviser for The Opium Group to founding Armor Inspection Services and Drill Magazine, to being former chairman of the International Fast Food Corporation and of Capital Brands. He is able to attend to these ventures thanks to his investment firm, Integrated Equities Inc., which he founded in 1985. The year before that, he was the largest shareholder of Atlantic Federal Savings and Loan, which is now called Bank Atlantic. He also has a slew of properties in South Florida and is involved in many community and philanthropic endeavors.

PAULINA RUBIO
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: EMI, Universal Music
INDUSTRY: Music

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: Known as the Queen of Latin Pop, Rubio is one of the most prominent crossover artists to come out of Mexico. She got her first taste of fame when she was only 10 years old as a member of children’s group Timbiriche. She hit the U.S. airwaves in 2000, soaring up to No. 1 on the Billboard Latin chart and earning Latin Grammy nominations. She has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, and her songs are often No. 1 on the Latin Billboard charts. She, like many other celebrities that reside in our town, can often be found attending the city’s highest profile events alongside her good friend Loren Ridinger.

ALEJANDRO SANZ
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: Warner Music
INDUSTRY: Entertainment

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Singing his way into music history, the Spanish Sanz is a global sensation, winning a record number of Grammy awards and the adoration of American and international audiences. He warmed his way into American hearts on Shakira’s track “La Tortura,” which sat on top of the Latin Billboard charts for a record 25 weeks in 2005. His latest album, Paraíso Express, released in November 2009, includes his first-ever English single, “Looking for Paradise,” featuring Alicia Keys. It shot to the top of the Latin Billboard charts.

STEPHANIE SAYFIE-AAGAARD
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: The epitome of a South Florida socialite, Sayfie-Aagaard is absolutely driven in her quest to raise money for various causes, especially at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and The Buoniconti Fund, the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center. She uses her ties from her weekly social column in the Miami Herald “Steph Sez” to muster up support for the causes.

LEE BRIAN SCHRAGER
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Southern Wine & Spirits
INDUSTRY: Alcohol

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: A recent profile in the New York Times indicated that “no one has ever done what Mr. Schrager does in the food world.” Schrager is responsible for the creation of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which brings the most celebrated names from the world’s finest culinary institutions and revered wineries to the sands of Miami Beach for one weekend each February, all to benefit FIU’s school of hospitality and tourism management. His efforts led the school to create the Lee Brian Schrager Excellence in Leadership Awards, and three scholarship recipients were named during the 2010 festival. Building on the South Beach festival’s extreme success, a New York event debuted in 2008. His successes earned him a promotion this past December to Southern Wine & Spirits vice president of corporate communications and national events.

MICHAEL SCHWARTZ
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Michael’s Genuine
INDUSTRY: Restaurant

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Known for his delectable and unpretentious food, Chef Michael Schwartz is the owner of one of the most celebrated restaurants in Miami: Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, in the Design District. Throughout his career Schwartz has received critical acclaim from top publications, and he was a 2009 nominee for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South, and he is up for the award again in 2010. Since the age of 16, Schwartz has been fascinated by the art of cooking. He revolutionized the Miami culinary scene in 1994 with the opening of the South Beach landmark Nemo. Today, he continues to dazzle diners, who flock to his casual neighborhood restaurant to indulge in his special brand of organic farm-to-table cuisine.

FRANCES ALDRICH SEVILLA-SACASA
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: U.S. Trust
INDUSTRY: Banking

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: With three decades of experience, Sevilla-Sacasa is one of the country’s most powerful female forces in the financial investment industry which led the Wall Street Journal to name her as one of 50 women to watch in 2007. She recently stepped down as the president of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, which only deals with clients with more than $3 million in investable assets. The University of Miami graduate is also the vice president of the board of governors for the Miami City Ballet.

RONY SEIKALY
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Quadrant Investment Group
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Thanks to an illustrious career playing in the NBA for the Miami Heat, as well as successful real estate ventures, Seikaly is a leading figure in the city. Early in his career with the Heat, he made waves by breaking several team records, amassing incredible career statistics, and earning the title “The Spin Doctor.” The name has a dual meaning; Seikaly is also a DJ with a penchant for house music. He’s played some of the hautest clubs and lounges in the world, including Miami Beach’s LIV. Since its inception in 2005, Quadrant Investment Group, of which Seikaly is CEO, has created and managed three separate funds with $128 million in investor equity and $350 million in real estate. Seikaly is personally invested in each of those funds.

SHAKIRA
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: Pies Descalsos Foundation
INDUSTRY: Music

WHAT MAKES HER HAUTE: This seductive songstress (and Latin Grammy winner) is one of the most prominent crossover artists. Her collaboration with Wyclef for the No. 1 track “Hips Don’t Lie” earned her a Grammy nomination, and this past year, the airwaves have been dominated by tracks from her latest album She Wolf, which she co-wrote and produced. Shakira’s nonprofit organization, Pies Descalzos (which means “barefoot” in English), is aimed at helping Colombian children that have been the victims of violence, and she is also an ambassador for Unicef.

ALINA & ANTHONY SHRIVER
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Best Buddies International
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: In 1989, when he was still in college, Anthony Kennedy Shriver founded Best Buddies International to foster relationships between those with intellectual disabilities and those without. It has since grown to have some 1,500 chapters around the world. It is estimated that 700,000 people are positively impacted by Best Buddies every year, a number that is set to grow in 2010 thanks to an international expansion effort led by Anthony. Alina is the vice president of art and merchandise for the organization, where she oversees the fine art collection comprised of works by artists like Lichtenstein, while also creating synergies with her other professional role as the exclusive licensing agent for pop artist Romero Britto. She also runs Shriver Art, an art consulting and marketing business that is responsible for the 35-foot Britto sculpture that was unveiled at the 5th Street entrance to Miami Beach last year.

KARIM MASRI & NICOLA SIERVO
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: KNR Food Concept
INDUSTRY: Restaurants & Nightlife

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Along with other Haute 100 Miami member Rony Seikaly, Masri and Siervo are partners in KNR Food Concepts, which is behind the venerable Quattro Gastronomia Italiana and its sister restaurant, Sosta, a high-end pizza joint located across the way on Lincoln Road. They bring a plethora of experience to the table, as they lent their know-how to establishments like Joia, Hotel Astor, Mynt, and Mokai over the years. These experiences led to their new restaurant and nightlife establishments at the W South Beach—Soleá and Wall—being heralded as some of the hautest spots in town since opening their doors in 2009.

DON & JEFF SOFFER
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Turnberry & Associates
INDUSTRY: Real Estate/Hospitality

WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Don opened his first retail shopping mall with his father when he was 24 years old. He then came down to South Florida and purchased almost 1,000 acres of marshland in northern Dade County in 1967, filled the area, and created what is today called Aventura, a planned community. Aventura is a haven of activity, with golf courses, lakes, bike and exercise paths, exclusive condominiums, hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, and more. His son Jeff followed Don’s footsteps into the real estate and hospitality realms, and, when debuting the $500 million makeover of his world-renowned Fontainebleau Miami Beach in 2008, Jeff descended the hotel’s famous “stairs to nowhere” into the lobby (which was packed with everyone who is anyone in Miami) flanked by a bevy of Victoria’s Secret Angels. Unfortunately, the consensus is that the beautiful property opened at the wrong time—in the midst of a global economic collapse that drove room prices down and affected occupancy rates. The property is riddled with debt, but as of press time, a financial restructuring plan was reportedly in the works.

DONALD TRUMP
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: The Trump Organization
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Everyone is familiar with The Donald’s real estate (and reality television) empire, but they may not be entirely familiar with his South Florida ties. Trump purchased Palm Beach’s magnificent Mar-A-Lago estate in 1985 and used the immense palace as his personal home for a number of years before turning it into one of the country’s most exclusive private clubs a decade later. It is the last remaining Palm Beach estate that is almost identical to the day it was built, albeit with modern comforts and upgrades, which led it to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The real estate mogul also has three Trump-branded properties in South Florida (one in Hollywood and two in Sunny Isles), as well as Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach.

DWYANE WADE
CATEGORY: Athletes
COMPANY: Miami Heat
INDUSTRY: Basketball

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: The Chicago native came to Miami in 2003 when he was selected fifth overall in the NBA draft. He has been a force for the Heat ever since, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team his first season. He went on to lead the team to its first NBA World Championship in 2006 and got crowned MVP, and then led Team USA to a gold medal in the Olympics. Today, Wade continues to wow the crowds with his athletic prowess. Equally impressive off the court, he has earned respect for his strong community involvement helping at-risk youths through his Wade’s World Foundation.

NORM WEDDERBURN
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: A philanthropic leader in high society, Wedderburn’s annual Intercontinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball generates more dollars and headlines each consecutive year with its “who’s who” guest list of affluent South Florida VIPs. In 2009, the 15th annual ball raised $1 million to support the foundation’s mission of granting wishes to terminally ill children.

BARTON G. WEISS
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Barton G.
INDUSTRY: Restaurant & Hospitality

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He’s now proudly flying his flag at the famous Versace Mansion, formerly known as Casa Casuarina but now dubbed The Villa by Barton G. His namesake company got started in the corporate event planning sector before opening the celebrity-studded Barton G. restaurant on Miami Beach, followed by Prelude by Barton G. at the Adrienne Arsht Center, which opened with a bash complete with live monkeys and a giraffe. He is known for his over-the-top panache, which manifests itself in every project he touches. The Villa by Barton G., which opened in March after a five-month restoration process, includes a 10-room boutique hotel portion, with rooms running from $2,100 to $5,000 a night, complete with butler service. The restaurant, which is open to the public, serves Barton G.’s signature cuisine off original Versace dinnerware.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS
CATEGORY: Entertainers
COMPANY: The Neptunes
INDUSTRY: Music

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He hit the music scene in the 1990s and has been a dominating force ever since. While in his teens, he met Chad Hugo at a summer camp for the gifted, and the duo eventually formed The Neptunes, a music producing powerhouse that has been credited with defining the pop music genre through work with Madonna, Jay-Z, Usher, Britney Spears, Nelly, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, and more, earning them a couple of Grammys along the way. Beyond an ear for hot tracks, he also has an eye for fashion and design. He is behind two clothing lines (Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream), released a jewelry line with Louis Vuitton, and created a collection of furniture with Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin. Miami became his adopted home when he purchased a penthouse in Brickell’s Bristol Tower from developer Ugo Colombo.

SEAN WOLFINGTON
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: The Wolfington Companies
INDUSTRY: Technology, Real Estate, Film

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: In 2006, he was one of four finalists for the Earnst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award (which ultimately went to Wayne Huizenga), and rightfully so. Wolfington has active forays in the real estate, technology, and film industries. His real estate investment arm focuses on high-end development, and the first film he financed and produced—Bella—earned top honors at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. His media company. The One Media, is the digital partner of artists like Shakira, and Wolfington also serves as chairman of the board for VinSolutions, an auto dealership marketing system, as well as on the board at Lumen Institute. He became a Miami resident when he and his wife Ana, also a producer, purchased Cher’s former estate on Mashta Island off of Key Biscayne.

MICHAEL & BOBBY YAMPOLSKY
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: East Coast Jewelry
INDUSTRY: Jewelry, Timepieces

What Makes them Haute: The father-son duo is the No. 1 retailer for Audemars Piguet and Hublot in America. Bobby made Palm Beach history by becoming the youngest storeowner on Worth Avenue at age 19. Today, their 20-plus year reputation in the industry means that East Coast Jewelry is the go-to establishment for gold and exquisite, rare timepieces. This reputation was further cemented when Bobby, along with Morten Nielsen, founded SCI Innovations, the company behind the Ulysse Nardin Chairman luxury hybrid smart phone.

ENGIN YESIL
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Core Development Holdings Corp.
INDUSTRY: Real Estate

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He is a diversified entrepreneur to his core. After making his fortune by innovating the eyewear industry through a contact company now known as 1.800.CONTACTS, Turkish tycoon Yesil launched Iprepay, a pioneer company that delivers store value products such as prepaid wireless airtime, calling cards, bill payment, and more. He founded Core Development in 1996, and his Turkish real estate company. Yesil Insaat, is developing a grand-scale project near Istanbul and is also involved in Trump Istanbul. He has been chairman and director of SK Realty Ventures since 2007, and he also became president of Wilson Mining Corporation in 2008.

SANFORD ZIFF
CATEGORY: Philanthropists
COMPANY: Sunglass Hut
INDUSTRY: Philanthropy

WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Ziff, a former optometrist, opened the first Sunglass Hut in 1971 as a freestanding kiosk in the Dadeland Mall. He expanded the brand throughout the city and eventually around the country before selling 75 percent ownership in the 80s for quite a hefty profit. When he sold his remaining stake in the company a few years later, he chose to dedicate the rest of his life to philanthropic endeavors, and the City of Miami has reaped the benefits. His generosity led to the Jewish Museum of Florida, which used to bear his name, but the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center still does honor his generous contributions.

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